This website affiliate agreement is between
The Owner is engaged in the business of describe
The Affiliate owns and operates one or more websites that are accessible to the public, specifically
The Owner wishes to engage the Affiliate for the purpose of promoting its website
The Affiliate wishes to direct users of the Affiliate Website to the Owner Website using a unique URL (an "Affiliate Link"), and the parties want the Affiliate to receive compensation for purchases made by customers of the Affiliate who use the Affiliate Link (the "Affiliate Customers") of certain applicable Owner products and services (the "Affiliate Program").
The parties therefore agree as follows:
1. RESPONSIBILITIES.
2. TERM AND TERMINATION.
3. PAYMENT.
4. LICENSE.
5. RESTRICTIONS ON AFFILIATE.
The Affiliate shall not:
6. OWNER RIGHTS.
7. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
9. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES; LIMITATION OF DAMAGES AND LIABILITY.
The Owner shall abide by all warranties as they exist on the Owner Website. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, THE OWNER MAKES NO, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL, WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE OWNER'S PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO AFFILIATE CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE AFFILIATE PROGRAM AND ANY SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE OWNER UNDER THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Additionally, the Owner makes no representations that the operation of the Owner Website or services will be uninterrupted or error free and it will not be liable for the consequences of any interruptions or errors. Neither the Owner nor any of its agents, employees, officers,or directors will be liable for consequential, incidental or special damages, including lost profits, even if it has knowledge of the potential loss or damage. THE OWNER'S LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL COMMISSION PAID OR PAYABLE UNDER THE AGREEEMENT.
No amendment to this agreement will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by a party.
If any one or more of the provisions contained in this agreement is, for any reason, held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, that invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability will not affect any other provisions of this agreement, but this agreement will be construed as if those invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provisions had never been contained in it, unless the deletion of those provisions would result in such a material change so as to cause completion of the transactions contemplated by this agreement to be unreasonable.
No waiver of a breach, failure of any condition, or any right or remedy contained in or granted by the provisions of this agreement will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the party waiving the breach, failure, right, or remedy. No waiver of any breach, failure, right, or remedy will be deemed a waiver of any other breach, failure, right, or remedy, whether or not similar, and no waiver will constitute a continuing waiver, unless the writing so specifies.
This agreement constitutes the final agreement of the parties. It is the complete and exclusive expression of the parties' agreement about the subject matter of this agreement. All prior and contemporaneous communications, negotiations, and agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter of this agreement are expressly merged into and superseded by this agreement. The provisions of this agreement may not be explained, supplemented, or qualified by evidence of trade usage or a prior course of dealings. Neither party was induced to enter this agreement by, and neither party is relying on, any statement, representation, warranty, or agreement of the other party except those set forth expressly in this agreement. Except as set forth expressly in this agreement, there are no conditions precedent to this agreement's effectiveness.
The descriptive headings of the sections and subsections of this agreement are for convenience only, and do not affect this agreement's construction or interpretation.
This agreement will become effective when all parties have signed it. The date this agreement is signed by the last party to sign it (as indicated by the date associated with that party's signature) will be deemed the date of this agreement.
Each party shall use all reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions necessary or desirable to consummate and make effective the transactions this agreement contemplates or to evidence or carry out the intent and purposes of this agreement.
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Each party is signing this agreement on the date stated opposite that party's signature.
Date:______________________________ | By:____________________________________________________________ |
Name: |
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Date:______________________________ | By:____________________________________________________________ |
Name: |
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How-to guides, articles, and any other content appearing on this page are for informational purposes only, do not constitute legal advice, and are no substitute for the advice of an attorney.
The internet has changed how companies promote their products and services. A company can successfully introduce its website to new customers at a low cost by establishing an affiliate relationship with an affiliate site (a third-party website). The affiliate will provide a link to the company’s website on its own webpage. The affiliate may sometimes link to the company in emails, electronic newsletters, or e-zines. When prospective customers click the link on the affiliate’s website, they directly connect to the company’s website. This leads to the company getting sales through these referrals, and the affiliates receive compensation.
A website affiliate agreement lists the company and affiliate’s terms and responsibilities and holds them in a legally binding relationship. This detailed agreement clearly outlines each party’s duties and service expectations and ensures that the operating procedures are evident from the beginning.
Although website affiliate arrangements can be profitable, they can also create problems for both parties, particularly websites operating in regulated industries or subject to consumer protection laws. An affiliate marketing program can lead to false advertising claims, unfair competition, infringement, and other legal repercussions without careful consideration. Parties need a well-drafted website affiliate program agreement to address these concerns and shield them from liabilities associated with affiliate marketers and linking.
Discuss essential contract terms with the other party and include them in your affiliate marketing agreement. Here is a list of some of the terms that cover both the company and the affiliate’s interests:
Suppose either website has indecent materials (e.g., content that is obscene, violent, defamatory, or pornographic) or is directed at children. In that case, you should review the laws and regulations governing these sites to ensure you comply.
Also, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other law enforcement agencies periodically monitor the internet and look for manipulative, false, and deceptive paid advertising. Be sure to review all relevant state and federal laws to ensure that your advertisements are protected.
Here are the key components of a website affiliate agreement:
This section identifies the document as a website affiliate agreement. Add the effective date, details about the parties involved, and, if applicable, what type of organization(s) they are (e.g., individual, corporation, partnership, etc.).
In this agreement, the party that provides the link is called the “company,” and the party that posts the link on their website is called the “affiliate.” Together, they’re referred to as “parties.”
In the “whereas” clauses, which are recitals, add all the details related to the agreement and the parties involved. As a whole, the recitals state the parties' intent and ability to enter into the affiliate arrangement. In this section, provide a brief description of the company’s business and the addresses of the affiliate website and the company website.
This section explains why the parties are entering the affiliate contract. This section confirms the parties’ agreement that the affiliate will post the company’s link. You can add the following details:
In this section, add the details about the compensation the company pays to the affiliate for the services provided. Include the following information:
This section indicates that the agreement will last several months. You can also specify the renewal cycle (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) and whether it will be automatically renewed or not.
In this section, specify the reasons that can cause the agreement to be terminated before the end of the term (i.e., before the stated services are completed).
Any party willing to terminate the agreement must provide a written notice to the other party.
This section also explains that after termination, the company must pay for any completed services, and the affiliate must return the company’s intellectual property within a specified time.
This clause lists each party’s responsibilities under the agreement, such as the number of days the company has to deliver the link to the affiliate, each party’s obligation to comply with the other’s privacy policies, etc.
This section defines how both parties must handle the confidential information; for example,
You can also add an expiration date here, after which the affiliate will no longer be obligated to keep the company’s information confidential.
This section helps both parties state that they can enter into the agreement and won’t violate any other contract they’re a part of. This section states that each party having the legal right and ability (or being responsible for obtaining the right or ability) must complete its obligations under the contract.
This section also allows the company to state that the affiliate website is directed only to visitors in the United States, and the company has the right to sell the products and services promoted by the link.
In this section, each party promises its property, work, and website domain name(s) don’t infringe on any third party’s intellectual property rights. This section also establishes that the parties don’t obtain ownership rights in each other’s intellectual property because of this agreement.
Here, the company agrees to certain additional rights, including,
In this section, the company will specify the format in which the link will be provided (i.e., permissible types of links, dimensions, languages, colors, and fonts). The company can also mention how the link is delivered to the affiliate.
In this section, the affiliate agrees not to post links belonging to any company’s competitor on the affiliate website during the term of this agreement.
This provision allocates responsibilities between the parties if problems arise in the future and protects each party from the consequences of the other’s negligent or intentional conduct.
This part explains that each party will solely be responsible for any commercial taxes levied on its site. This may not be necessary if neither party is selling items on their web pages or if a different agreement has been made.
This section limits the company and affiliate’s ability to sue each other for lost profits or brand or reputational damage.
In this section, both the company and the affiliate can add disclaimers, such as the company mentioning that the products or services the link is promoting may or may not be fit for certain purposes.
This clause explains that the affiliate isn’t an employee, partner, or agent of the company and vice versa. Both the company and the affiliate work as an independent contractor and aren’t bound by any relationship. This is an important distinction for many reasons, including those relating to insurance coverage, legal liability, and taxes.
This part indicates that any changes to the agreement are ineffective unless they’re made in writing.
This section explains that either party can assign its obligations and interests under the agreement only with the other party's prior written consent.
This clause specifies that any rights and obligations held by the parties will be transferred to heirs in the event of death. Similarly, in the case of companies, the rights or obligations will be transferred to the successors in the event of a business transfer.
This section releases a party from the affiliate program if its performance is interrupted by an event beyond its control (e.g., flood, earthquake, etc.). This release is effective only as long as circumstances continue to prevent that party’s completion of its tasks.
This section clarifies that if one party allows the other to ignore an obligation mentioned in the agreement, it doesn't mean that the first party gives up the right to enforce those or any other obligations in the future.
In this section, list the mailing addresses of the affiliate partners to which all official or legal correspondence should be delivered.
This section allows the parties to choose the applicable law that’ll be used to interpret the document.
This section clarifies that if the parties sign an agreement from different locations electronically, all of the separate pieces will still be considered as part of the same agreement. This ensures that business can be conducted efficiently without compromising the validity of the agreement as a whole.
This section protects the terms of the agreement as a whole, even if one part is later invalidated. For example, if a state law is passed prohibiting choice-of-law clauses, it won’t undo the entire document. Instead, only the section dealing with the choice of law would be invalidated, leaving the remainder of the agreement enforceable.
This clause states that when two parties sign a document, they agree that it represents the final agreement on the issues discussed. However, even with this provision, one party can claim that other enforceable promises were made. Nevertheless, having this provision can offer some protection against such claims.
This part clarifies that the headings at the beginning of each section are for organizing the document only. Interpretation shouldn’t be based on headings.
Here's the information you'll need to have handy to complete your website affiliate agreement:
Deep linking happens when an affiliate link in the website leads to a page other than the company’s homepage.